Safety device for cross roads and hills



Oct. 17, 1933. F. T. WING SAFETY DEVICE FOR CROSS ROADS AND HILLS Filed Nov. 7; 1932 INVENTOR- Fggvemcx T WW6, WTTORNEY- Patented Oct. 17, 1933 1,930,917

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY DEVICE FOR cnoss ROADS AND HILLS Frederick T. Wing, Lincoln, Nebr. Application November 7, 1932. Serial No. 641,601 6 Claims. (Cl. 88,1)

This invention relates to new and useful im- Fig. 3 ,is a perspective view of one type of provements in a safety device for curved roads, mirror supporting frame used in the device. cross roads and hills. Fig. 4'is a perspective view of another type The invention has for an object the construcof mirror supporting frame used in the device.

5 tion of a safety device which is adapted to Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional extend ones vision around cross roads or bent viewtaken on either of the lines 55 of Fig. 2. roads or over the tops of hills. The loss of prop- The reference numeral 10 indicates generally erty and lives by collisions at the points just a hill provided with a road 11 extended over mentioned is very large and the present device the top so that vehicles on opposite sides can- 10 is calculated to reduce if not to entirely eliminot see the road immediately ahead. While nate such acciden a hill road has been illustrated to explain the The invention particularly proposes the arinvention it should be recognized that the inrangement of a safety device adapted for locavention may be applied to a curved road or a tion on the side of a road either upon the top crossing; At the critical point of the road 11,

15 of a hill or at crossings and provided with rethat is at the top of the hill, and if the road fleeting surfaces arranged so that the view is crosses another road or if it has a bend at the extended over the hill to the other side or crossingpoint or bend, there is located a pair around the cross road or curved road. of safety devices according to this invention As a still further object of this invention it is "mounted on opposite sides of the road, and each 20 proposed to build the support portion of the consisting of a support 12, carrying mirrors 13 safety device from standard pipes arranged so and 14. A vehicle 15 is shown on one side of as to allow adjustments in certain ways due to the road and the dot and dash lines 16 indicate the threaded connections of the pipe sections. the line of vision of the vehicle driver to the A still further and more important object of other side of the road. Similarly on the other 25 this invention is the provision of mirrors or side of the road there is shown a vehicle 17 other reflecting devices and supporting, frames and the dot and dash lines 18 show the line with straight sections extending through said of vision of the vehicle driver using the other support and an arrangement associated with said of the pair of safety devices. straight sections for holding said mirrors or In Fig. 2 one of the safety devices has been 30 other devices, at proper angular positions to shown in detail and the member or support 12 reflect as desired. comprises a plurality of pipes suitably joined to- Still further the invention contemplates the gether by pipe fittings and arranged so as to provision of means for locking the straight sechave ahorizontal arm 20 and a top vertical tions against rotation upon slight longitudinal arm 21 connected respectively at right angles 35 motion thereof; and further the provision of to each other in a suitabe T connection 22. means for securely holding the straight sections The pipe sections 20 and 21 are of smaller diin said moved condition to insure maintenance ameter than the pipe sections which support of the locking positicn. these parts since such construction is good en- Furthermore the invention proposes the congineering, that is, the making of the lower por- 40 struction of a device as mentioned which is simtion of a structure much stronger than the up-. ple and durable and which may be manufacper portion. The base of the member or support tured and sold at a reasonable cost. 12 comprises a foot 23 secured at the bottom of For further comprehension of the invention, the support and adapted to be imbedded in a and of the objects and advantages thereof, referconcrete or other type of foundation.

45 ence will be had to the following description and Mirror supporting frames 24' and 25 for hold- 1 0 accompanying drawing, and to the appended ing the mirrors 13 and14 respectively, are adclaims in which the various novel features of the justably mounted near the ends of the pipe secinvention are moreparticularly set forth. tions 20 and 21. The mirror supporting frame In the accompanying drawing forming a ma- 24 comprises a horizontal straight section 26 0 terial part of this disclosure: adapted to engage transversely through the pipe Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective schematic section 20 and from which there projects a pair view of a portion of a hill with a road equipped of support arms, each arm being provided with with safety devices according to this invention. opposed hooks 27 and 28 adapted to engage the Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the top and bottom edges of the mirror for securely 55 safety devices according to this invention. holding the mirror in place. In- Fig. 4 dot and dash lines indicate the mirror 13 schematically. The frame 25, while different from the frame 24, has one feature identical and that is, that it is provided with a straight section 26 for engaging transversely through the pipe section 21 and from which the remaining portions of the frame extend. In this particular frame there are bent loops 29 at the bottom adapted to receive the bottom edge of the mirror and side loops 30 to engage against the sides of the mirror. The dot and dash lines in Fig. 3 indicate the mirror 14. It should be noticed that the mirror should be slipped in from the top so that its sides engage the loops 30 while its bottom rests against the loops 29.

A means is provided for locking each of the frames in various angular positions about the straight section 26. This locking means is necessary in that then the mirrors may be properly set for correct reflecting to show the road clearly. Said locking means comprises a tubular member 31 riveted, soldered, or in any other manner fixed permanently upon the straight section 26 and extending through the member or support 20 or 21 as the case may be. At one end the tubular member 31 is formed with a tapered enlargement 32 outside of the member or support for'engaging against a complementary recess 33 in the member or support in a manner so as to'frictionally hold and ,prevent rotation of the tubular member. Preferably the outer face of the tapered enlargement 32 should be formed with serrations or ribs 34 to better grip the inner face of the complementary recess 33. This complementary recess can also be formed with serrations or any other types of roughness.

A nut 35 threadedly engages upon the other end of the tubular member 31 and is adapted to abut against the member or support so as to draw and tightly clamp the tapered enlargement 32 in its recess 33. In Fig. 5 the tubular member 31 is shown in its disengaged position in which the frame is free to be rotated about the straight section 26 as the center of rotation. To look the frame in any rotative position it is merely necessary to turn the nut 35 further upon the tubular member to cause the tapered enlargement to engage the complementary recess.

In use the safety devices are mounted upon the sides of the road. The frames must be suitably adjusted to properly reflect in the direction desired. Pivotal adjustments of the frames are accomplished by loosening the nuts 35, then adjusting the frames, and next tightening the nuts 35. Horizontal adjustments are 'accomplished by turning the support sections 20 and 21.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, 2. member for location on the sides of the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis of said straight section, comprising means for locking said straight section against rotation upon slight motion along its length, and means tion in its moved Position.

2. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, a member for location on the sides of the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis of said straight section, comprising a tubular element fixed upon said straight section and extending through said member and having a tapered enlargement at one end outside of the member engageable against a complementary recess in the member to frictionally prevent rotation of said straight section, and a nut threadedly engaging on the other end of said tubular element and abutting against the other side of said member to clamp the tubular element in its locked position.

3. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, 9. member for location on the sides of the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis of said straight section, comprising a tubular element fixed upon sai straight section and extending through said member and having a tapered enlargement at one end outside of the member engageable against a complementary recess in the member to frictionally prevent rotation of said straight section, and a nut threadedly engaging on the other end of said tubular element and abutting against the other side of said member to clamp the tubular element-in its locked position, said tapered enlargement being formed with serrations upon its tapered face to engage against said complementary recess.

4. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, a member for location on the sides of the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror 'to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis of said straight section, comprising a tubular element fixed upon said straight section and extending through said member and having a tapered enlargement at one end outside of the member engageable against a complementary recess in the member to frictionally prevent rotation of said straight section, and a nut threadedly engaging on the other end of said tubular element and abutting against the other side of said member to clamp the tubular element in its locked position, said member including sections threadedly supported and carrying said frame allowing rotative adjustments of said threaded sections to adjust the position of said frame.

for holding said straight sec-- 5. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, a member for location on the sides of the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis of said straight section, comprising means for locking said straight section against rotation upon slight motion along its length, and means for holding said straight section in its moved position, said means for locking said straight section upon motion along its length comprising an element fixedly mounted upon said straight section and adapted to clamp against a portion of said memher when the straight section is moved into its locking position.

6. In a safety device for cross roads, curved roads and roads over hills, a member for location on the sides or the cross roads, curved roads or roads over the hill, a mirror supporting frame for holding a mirror to cooperate with another mirror to reflect over the hill or around the roads or cross roads, including a straight section extending through said member, means for locking the frame in various angular positions about the axis 01' said straight section, comprising means for locking said straight section against rotation upon slight motion along its length, and means for holding said straight section in its moved position. said means for locking said straight section upon motion along its length comprising an element fixedly mounted upon said straight section and adapted to clamp against a portion of said member when the straight section is moved into its locking position, and said means for holding the straight section in the moved position comprising a nut threadedly engaged upon said element and adapted to abut against a stationary part of said member.

FREDERICK T. WING. 

